Mehrnoosh Afshar

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About

Mehrnoosh Afshar is a leading researcher in medical robotics, specializing in the design of novel mechanisms and autonomous systems for minimally invasive surgery and cancer therapy. Her most impactful work introduces a groundbreaking spherical scissor linkage remote center of motion (RCM) mechanism, which enables an end-effector to move through an entire hemisphere—a significant advance over conventional designs that restrict surgical freedom. This innovation, detailed in her 2020 paper with 10 citations, directly addresses the need for expanded workspace in minimally invasive surgery, allowing surgeons to operate within an elliptic cone workspace of 60° to 90° vertex angles. Afshar has also pioneered autonomous ultrasound scanning for breast brachytherapy, developing a system that localizes needle tips with high precision—a critical capability given clinicians' limited accuracy in manual ultrasound imaging. This work, cited 6 times, demonstrates her commitment to translating robotic solutions into clinical practice, reducing human error in percutaneous therapies. Her research bridges mechanical design and intelligent control, offering tangible improvements in surgical outcomes. Afshar’s contributions are vital for students and researchers exploring RCM mechanisms, autonomous imaging, and the future of robot-assisted healthcare.